IN YOUR OPINION

Letters to the Editor for Aug. 3, 2013

Published: Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, August 2, 2013 at 9:10 p.m.

Capitol ideas

I have two suggestions for our do-nothing Congress that should satisfy both sides of the aisle.

These suggestions should increase revenue without raising taxes and reduce wasteful spending without hurting needed projects, the poor, the elderly, the middle class, their pet projects or their rich donors.

First, since the Capitol is never used Friday through Sunday and hardly ever used the rest of the year — since the legislators are either at home, campaigning or on some expensive junket — why not rent out the building to motivational speakers, concerts, weddings, christenings, bar mitzvahs, etc.?

Second, the legislators should forgo their salaries and instead work piece rate, which should reduce some wasteful spending and get them paid only for the bills they pass that actually become laws.

Wouldn't that be a great incentive for them to do what they were elected to do — pass bills that would help the U.S.?

I know this is a novel idea, having legislators legislate. But heck, it is worth a try — isn't it?

Robert A. Bella,

Dunnellon

Lifesaving suggestion

I'm writing this letter to get people who are going out in a boat to wear a life jacket.

On Dec. 19, 2004, my son, Capt. Allan M. Morone, and his best friend, John Edward Ray, drowned on Half Moon Lake. They were missing for 10 days.

Allan is my only child, and life without him is very, very sad and lonesome.

He was only 22 years, 9 months and 10 days old.

March 19, 2005, was his 23 birthday.

The boat season is in full swing and Labor Day weekend is coming up fast. So many more people had boating accidents since 2004.

It only takes minutes to put a life jacket on.

Please save lives and a lifetime of heartache.

Sandy Morone,

Ocala

Pray for the president

I did not vote for President Obama, either time, nor do I trust the man on most issues. But I believe he needs our prayers now about many issues, and Syria is one of them.

He is now in a position of damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don't in regard to giving aid to Syria.

I don't pretend to know what decision is best — to give aid or to not give aid — but I do know that it is a volatile situation and either decision will cause controversy.

Please pray for Obama and our Congress to have divine intervention in this and many other matters.

Nora L. Gibson,

Ocala

What about Antonio?

Thanks go to Judge Hale R. Stancil for his excellent guest column on July 28.

Our national media, President Barack Obama, the Justice Department and many black leaders purposely turned the George Zimmerman case into a circus way before the trial.

There is no other reason we would have received mass misinformation regarding both Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin.

Why was this tragedy worthy of worldwide press instead of others — such as the killing of infant Antonio West?

Antonio was shot in the face and his mother wounded by two black teenagers in a robbery. He was only 13 months old, but hardly a word was said. He happened to be white.

You could feel their disappointment when no racism or profiling was found, but they still threaten Zimmerman with violating Martin's civil rights, which is ridiculous.

Any reasonable person who looked at the evidence knows the jury made the right decision based on facts, but none of the above agitators are interested in true facts.

Death threats have been made to him and his family, along with threats of “no justice, no peace.”

All of the above are guilty of causing this, and I hope Zimmerman's lawyer goes after them.

Some of their hidden agenda is now apparent.

They want to repeal “stand your ground” and more gun control.

I wish Antonio's mother had carried a concealed weapon to defend her baby.

Everyone has the right to defend themselves, their family and their property.

Only those committing the crime have anything to worry about.

Wayne Rackley,

Ocala

Angels in the storm

On July 2 I was in a pretty serious car accident on County Road 475 in Pedro. It was storming. I know God was in the passenger seat, or I wouldn't be here.

As the car came to a stop I could smell smoke. My greatest fear is being trapped in a burning car, so the adrenaline kicked in.

I began to try to open the doors, even crawling into the back seat, but all were locked and wouldn't open. My strength wore off and I thought I was going to die.

I looked out the window and prayed for some angels to help me.

Suddenly they began to appear.

Two young men began to break out the windows and work on opening the doors.

Another gentleman got into the front seat and calmly talked to me, assuring me the car wasn't going to burn.

He was wearing a Massey Services shirt that showed his name was Chris.

Keep in mind it was still storming because I could see lightning. They all stayed until the ambulance came.

I don't know the names of the other two young men, but I want all three to know how much I appreciate what they did.

In a time when it seems so much of the news is negative, these people proved there are still caring people out there willing to help above and beyond.

<p><b>Capitol ideas</b></p><p>I have two suggestions for our do-nothing Congress that should satisfy both sides of the aisle. </p><p>These suggestions should increase revenue without raising taxes and reduce wasteful spending without hurting needed projects, the poor, the elderly, the middle class, their pet projects or their rich donors.</p><p>First, since the Capitol is never used Friday through Sunday and hardly ever used the rest of the year — since the legislators are either at home, campaigning or on some expensive junket — why not rent out the building to motivational speakers, concerts, weddings, christenings, bar mitzvahs, etc.?</p><p>Second, the legislators should forgo their salaries and instead work piece rate, which should reduce some wasteful spending and get them paid only for the bills they pass that actually become laws. </p><p>Wouldn't that be a great incentive for them to do what they were elected to do — pass bills that would help the U.S.?</p><p>I know this is a novel idea, having legislators legislate. But heck, it is worth a try — isn't it?</p><p><i>Robert A. Bella,</p><p>Dunnellon</i></p><p><b>Lifesaving suggestion</b></p><p>I'm writing this letter to get people who are going out in a boat to wear a life jacket. </p><p>On Dec. 19, 2004, my son, Capt. Allan M. Morone, and his best friend, John Edward Ray, drowned on Half Moon Lake. They were missing for 10 days.</p><p>Allan is my only child, and life without him is very, very sad and lonesome. </p><p>He was only 22 years, 9 months and 10 days old. </p><p>March 19, 2005, was his 23 birthday. </p><p>The boat season is in full swing and Labor Day weekend is coming up fast. So many more people had boating accidents since 2004.</p><p>It only takes minutes to put a life jacket on. </p><p>Please save lives and a lifetime of heartache. </p><p><i>Sandy Morone,</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Pray for the president</b></p><p>I did not vote for President Obama, either time, nor do I trust the man on most issues. But I believe he needs our prayers now about many issues, and Syria is one of them.</p><p>He is now in a position of damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don't in regard to giving aid to Syria. </p><p>I don't pretend to know what decision is best — to give aid or to not give aid — but I do know that it is a volatile situation and either decision will cause controversy.</p><p>Please pray for Obama and our Congress to have divine intervention in this and many other matters.</p><p><i>Nora L. Gibson,</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>What about Antonio?</b></p><p>Thanks go to Judge Hale R. Stancil for his excellent guest column on July 28.</p><p>Our national media, President Barack Obama, the Justice Department and many black leaders purposely turned the George Zimmerman case into a circus way before the trial. </p><p>There is no other reason we would have received mass misinformation regarding both Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. </p><p>Why was this tragedy worthy of worldwide press instead of others — such as the killing of infant Antonio West?</p><p>Antonio was shot in the face and his mother wounded by two black teenagers in a robbery. He was only 13 months old, but hardly a word was said. He happened to be white.</p><p>You could feel their disappointment when no racism or profiling was found, but they still threaten Zimmerman with violating Martin's civil rights, which is ridiculous. </p><p>Any reasonable person who looked at the evidence knows the jury made the right decision based on facts, but none of the above agitators are interested in true facts.</p><p>Death threats have been made to him and his family, along with threats of “no justice, no peace.” </p><p>All of the above are guilty of causing this, and I hope Zimmerman's lawyer goes after them.</p><p>Some of their hidden agenda is now apparent. </p><p>They want to repeal “stand your ground” and more gun control.</p><p>I wish Antonio's mother had carried a concealed weapon to defend her baby. </p><p>Everyone has the right to defend themselves, their family and their property. </p><p>Only those committing the crime have anything to worry about.</p><p><i>Wayne Rackley, </p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Angels in the storm</b></p><p>On July 2 I was in a pretty serious car accident on County Road 475 in Pedro. It was storming. I know God was in the passenger seat, or I wouldn't be here. </p><p>As the car came to a stop I could smell smoke. My greatest fear is being trapped in a burning car, so the adrenaline kicked in.</p><p>I began to try to open the doors, even crawling into the back seat, but all were locked and wouldn't open. My strength wore off and I thought I was going to die.</p><p>I looked out the window and prayed for some angels to help me. </p><p>Suddenly they began to appear. </p><p>Two young men began to break out the windows and work on opening the doors. </p><p>Another gentleman got into the front seat and calmly talked to me, assuring me the car wasn't going to burn. </p><p>He was wearing a Massey Services shirt that showed his name was Chris. </p><p>Keep in mind it was still storming because I could see lightning. They all stayed until the ambulance came.</p><p>I don't know the names of the other two young men, but I want all three to know how much I appreciate what they did.</p><p>In a time when it seems so much of the news is negative, these people proved there are still caring people out there willing to help above and beyond. </p><p>Again, thank you all so much. </p><p><i>Carolyn Ciraco,</p><p>Summerfield</i></p>